Air vent

ABSTRACT

An air vent includes a housing, first and second air ducts, a first vane, and a set of vanes. The air ducts convey respective volumetric flows of air through the housing so that each volumetric flow exits the respective air duct in a different intersecting direction so that the flows of air collide after exiting the air ducts. A vane located along one of the air ducts is moveable to vertically change a perceived air discharge direction. A set of vanes includes at least one vane located in each air duct and is moveable to horizontally change the perceived air discharge direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an air vent for vehicles.

BACKGROUND

Various air vents are known from the prior art. DE 10 2006 032587 A1,for example, discloses an air outlet device for vehicles, whichcomprises—as viewed in a longitudinal or vertical section—an air ducthaving a first, upper wall region and, facing this, a second, lower wallregion, and which is fluidically connected via an air outlet opening toa passenger compartment of the vehicle. Air can be directed into thepassenger compartment via the air duct and the air outlet opening. Atleast one louver-type air guide element is disposed between the two wallregions in the region or the vicinity of the air outlet opening.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of an air vent include a housing, a first air duct, a secondair duct, a first vane, and a set of vanes. The first air duct isconfigured to convey a first volumetric flow of air through the housingso that the first volumetric flow of air exits the first air duct in afirst direction. The second air duct is configured to separately conveya second volumetric flow of air through the housing so that the secondvolumetric flow of air exits second first air duct in a second directionthat intersects the first direction so that the volumetric flows of aircollide after exiting the airducts. The first vane is located along oneof the air ducts and is moveable to vertically change a perceived airdischarge direction. At least one vane of the set of vanes is locatedalong each of the first and second air ducts and is moveable tohorizontally change the perceived air discharge direction.

In various embodiments, the first vane is not visible to a user of theair vent when the air vent is viewed from an air outlet end of thehousing.

In various embodiments, the first and second air ducts are defined atleast in part between an inner wall of the housing and respective firstand second air guide surfaces, each air guide surface being in a fixedposition with respect to the housing.

In various embodiments, the first and second directions are each definedat least in part by a shape of a respective air guide surface and by ashape of an inner wall of the housing such that movement of the firstvane does not change the direction in which each volumetric flow of airexits the respective air duct.

In various embodiments, air guide surfaces of the air vent face inopposite directions.

In various embodiments, air guide surfaces of the air vent are parallelwith an inner wall of the housing along each of the air ducts.

In various embodiments, the first vane is pivotably attached along theair duct along which the first vane is located.

In various embodiments, the first vane is located along the first airduct, and the air vent includes a second vane located along the secondair duct that is moveable to vertically change the perceived airdischarge direction.

In various embodiments, movement of the first vane changes the firstvolumetric flow of air and movement of a second vane changes the secondvolumetric flow of air.

In various embodiments, the first vane and a second vane move togetherto vertically change the perceived air discharge direction.

In various embodiments, each vane of the set of vanes is non-visible toa user of the air vent when the air vent is viewed from an air outletend of the housing.

In various embodiments, an inner wall of the housing has a rectangularshape when viewed from an air outlet end of the housing.

In various embodiments, the air vent includes an illuminator locatedalong the at least one of the air ducts.

In various embodiments, the air vent includes a manipulator at an airoutlet end of the housing. The manipulator is operatively coupled to thefirst vane to move the first vane.

In various embodiments, the air vent includes a manipulator at an airoutlet end of the housing. The manipulator is operatively coupled to theset of vanes to move the set of vanes.

In various embodiments, the air vent includes a manipulator at an airoutlet end of the housing. The manipulator is operatively coupled to thefirst vane and to the set of vanes to move the first vane and the set ofvanes to thereby vertically and horizontally change the perceived airdischarge direction with the same manipulator.

It is understood that the above-described embodiments can be combinedwith one another in any manner, provided the combinations do not canceleach other out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in the following ingreater detail by reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an air vent,

FIG. 2 shows another schematic view of the air vent from FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an air vent,

FIG. 4 shows a lateral sectional view of the air vent from FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the air vent from FIG. 3, from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Elements that are similar to one another are labeled with the samereference signs in the following.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an air vent 100 comprising a housing124. The air vent has an air inlet opening 104, which is disposed in theaxial direction of the housing, and a corresponding air outlet opening102. The air inlet opening 104 and the air outlet opening 102 aredisposed opposite one another as viewed in the axial direction of thehousing 124.

Air guide surfaces 106 and 108, which are located in the housing 124,are also clearly shown. Both air guide surfaces 106 and 108 have roundedbulges 130 and 132, respectively, which point in opposite directions,namely vertically upward and downward in FIG. 1. These two directionsare opposed to one another and extend perpendicularly to the axialdirection of the housing 124. The air guide surfaces 106 and 108 aredisposed at a distance from the inner side of the housing 124, therebyforming an air duct 116 between the air guide surface 106 and theinterior of the housing 124 and, analogously, an air conduit 118 isformed between the air guide surface 108 and the interior of the housing124. The inner side of the housing 124 extends parallel to the shape ofthe air guide surfaces 106 and 108.

A further air duct 120 is formed between the air guide surfaces 106 and108. If air then flows into the housing 124 from the air inlet opening104, this air will then flow through the air ducts 116, 118 and 120, asindicated by the directions of the arrows in FIG. 1, and will emergefrom the air outlet opening 102. The emerging volumetric flows will mixin a corresponding manner, and therefore the air flow felt at the airoutlet opening 102 will be perceived as an air flow that is directedstraight ahead.

In order to change the direction of this emerging air flow in thevertical direction, i.e. to deflect this emerging air flow upwardly ordownwardly, a vane 110 or 112 is mounted on the air guide surfaces 106and 108, respectively, via corresponding axes 114. The vanes 110 and 112can be swiveled in the direction 200 or opposite the direction 200 bymeans of the axial hinge-connection thereof; see the example depicted inFIG. 2.

In FIG. 2, the vanes were swiveled downward about the axis 114 in thedirection 200. As a result, the lower air duct 116 was completely closedby the vane 110. The air entering the housing 124 through the air inletopening 104 can therefore flow only through the air ducts 120 and 118.Due to the bulged shape thereof, and due to the downward slant of thevane 112, the air flow emerging from the air outlet opening is orientedin the downwardly slanted direction.

According to this example, it is therefore possible to control the airflow between various outwardly flowing directions by positioning thevanes 110 and 112 appropriately, without the related air guidecomponents, i.e. the vanes 110 and 112, being visible by an observerfrom the side of the air outlet opening 102.

This makes it possible, for example, to accommodate an appropriateillumination means 134 within the housing 124, which can provide diffuseillumination of the air vent 100 in darkness. The illumination providedby the illumination means 134 is consistent regardless of the positionof the vane 110 or 112, which can make it easier to operate the air vent100 from the sides of the air outlet opening 102.

The vanes 110 and 112 and the housing 124 have a rectangular shape inthe region 122 of the vanes 110 and 112. This makes it possible toeasily implement the swivel motion of the vanes without the vanes andthe inner walls of the housing 124 interfering with one another.

FIG. 3 shows a further variant of an air vent 100, wherein, as comparedto the variant shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a closed air guide element 300was selected in this case instead of an air duct between the air guidesurfaces 106 and 108. This air guide element, in combination with theair guide surfaces 106 and 108, delimits additional air ducts 400 or402, as shown in FIG. 4 in particular. Further air ducts 400 and 402 arenow provided in addition to the aforementioned air ducts 116 and 118.

FIG. 3 also shows a manipulator 310, which can be swiveled vertically indirection 304 relative to the air guide element 300 rigidly disposed onthe housing 124. Furthermore, the manipulator 310 shown in FIG. 3 can bemoved in direction 302 horizontally to the left and right relative tothe air guide element 300. Finally, the manipulator 310 also comprises arotatable positioning aid 308, which can be rotated horizontallyrelative to the the manipulator 310 in direction 306.

FIG. 4 shows a lateral sectional view through the air vent 100 depictedin FIG. 3. In addition to the air guide elements 106 and 108, the vanes110 and 112 known from FIGS. 1 and 2 are shown once more. These, inturn, are disposed on the air guide elements 106 and 108 by means ofaxes 114, wherein, in the present case, the axes are not disposed at theends of the vanes 110 or 112, but rather slightly closer to the centerrelative to the respective vanes, although not necessarily beingcentered.

One end of the vane 112 is mechanically connected to the manipulator310, wherein another end of the vane 112, which is diametrically opposedto this end, is mechanically coupled to the vane 110 via the coupling430. Movement of the manipulator 310 in direction 304 induces a transferof force between the manipulator 310 and the vane 112, which inducesrotation of the vane 112 about the axis 114 thereof due to the couplingbetween the manipulator 310 and the end of the vane 112. At the sametime, the rotation also induces a displacement of the coupling 430upwardly or downwardly in the vertical direction and, therefore, acorresponding rotation of the vane 110 about the axis 114 thereof. It isthereby possible to adjust a related volumetric flow through the airducts 116, 400, 402 and 118.

The mechanical coupling between the manipulator 310 and the end of thevane 112 is implemented, for example, via a corresponding coupling rod416.

FIG. 4 furthermore shows a closing element 408, which is formed of twoplates. These plates are supported on the housing 124 via a common axis414. By means of a rotational motion of the positioning aid 308 in thehorizontal direction, a force can be transferred to the plates of theclosing element 408 via the coupling rod 412. By means of this force,the plates can be swiveled in the housing 124 opposite to direction 406.By means of this swivelling, the air inlet opening can be completelyclosed or opened. One of the plates therefore swivels upwardly in theclosing procedure, as shown in FIG. 4, while the other plate swivelsdownwardly, in direction 406, in the closing procedure.

This procedure and the corresponding mechanical connection are explainedin greater detail with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows a sectionalillustration of the air vent 100 from FIG. 3, from above.

FIG. 5 more clearly shows the positioning aid 308, which can be rotatedin direction 306. The rotation occurs relative to the manipulator 310.Rotation of the positioning aid 308 in direction 306 causes the axisbetween the positioning aid 306 and the closing element 408 in FIG. 5 tomove easily in the horizontal plane. The movement of this axis 412causes a gearwheel disposed between the axis 412 and the closing element408 to induce a corresponding rotation of the plates of the closingelement 408 about the axis 414. Compensation of the length of thecoupling rod 412, which may be required therefor, can be implemented bymeans of components of the coupling rod 412, which can be slid into oneanother.

FIG. 4 also shows a set of further vanes 410, which are hinge-connectedat an axis 418. The view in FIG. 5 clearly shows that these vanes 410,after rotation about the axis 418, can change the directionalcharacteristic of the air flowing out of the air outlet opening 102.While the vanes 110 and 112, according to FIG. 3, are responsible for adirectional characteristic in the vertical direction, the vanes 410define the directional characteristic of the outflowing air in thehorizontal direction.

The orientation of the vanes 410 relative to the housing is induced bythe manipulator 310 in that this manipulator is displaced in atranslatory manner in the horizontal direction 302. A coupling element500, which is rigidly connected to the manipulator 310, comprises atoothed rack 504, in which a gearwheel 502 engages. In turn, thistoothed rack is rigidly connected to the vanes 410. As a result, whenthe manipulator 310 moves in direction 302, relative motion between thetoothed rack 504 and the gearwheel 502 takes place, which, in turn,induces rotation of the vanes 410 about the axes 418 thereof. It istherefore possible to change the directional characteristic of anemerging air flow in the vertical and horizontal directions by means ofa single manipulator.

1. An air vent, comprising: a housing; a first air duct configured toconvey a first volumetric flow of air through the housing so that thefirst volumetric flow of air exits the first air duct in a firstdirection; a second air duct configured to separately convey a secondvolumetric flow of air through the housing so that the second volumetricflow of air exits the second air duct in a second direction thatintersects the first direction so that the volumetric flows of aircollide after exiting the airducts; a first vane located along one ofthe air ducts and being moveable to vertically change a perceived airdischarge direction; and a set of vanes, at least one vane of the set ofvanes being located along each of the first and second air ducts andbeing moveable to horizontally change the perceived air dischargedirection.
 2. An air vent as defined in claim 1, wherein the first vaneis not visible to a user of the air vent when the air vent is viewedfrom an air outlet end of the housing.
 3. An air vent as defined inclaim 1, wherein the first and second air ducts are defined at least inpart between an inner wall of the housing and respective first andsecond air guide surfaces, each air guide surface being in a fixedposition with respect to the housing.
 4. An air vent as defined in claim3, wherein the first and second directions are each defined at least inpart by a shape of the respective air guide surface and by a shape ofthe inner wall of the housing such that movement of the first vane doesnot change the direction in which each volumetric flow of air exits therespective air duct.
 5. An air vent as defined in claim 3, wherein theair guide surfaces face in opposite directions.
 6. An air vent asdefined in claim 3, wherein each of the air guide surfaces is parallelwith the inner wall of the housing along each of the air ducts.
 7. Anair vent as defined in claim 1, wherein the first vane is pivotablyattached along the air duct along which the first vane is located.
 8. Anair vent as defined in claim 1, wherein the first vane is located alongthe first air duct, the air vent further comprising a second vanelocated along the second air duct and being moveable to verticallychange the perceived air discharge direction.
 9. An air vent as definedin claim 8, wherein movement of the first vane changes the firstvolumetric flow of air and wherein movement of the second vane changesthe second volumetric flow of air.
 10. An air vent as defined in claim8, wherein the first and second vanes move together to vertically changethe perceived air discharge direction.
 11. An air vent as defined inclaim 1, wherein each vane of the set of vanes is non-visible to a userof the air vent when the air vent is viewed from an air outlet end ofthe housing.
 12. An air vent as defined in claim 1, wherein an innerwall of the housing has a rectangular shape when viewed from an airoutlet end of the housing.
 13. An air vent as defined in claim 1,further comprising an illuminator located along the at least one of theair ducts.
 14. An air vent as defined in claim 1, further comprising amanipulator at an air outlet end of the housing, wherein the manipulatoris operatively coupled to the first vane to move the first vane.
 15. Anair vent as defined in claim 1, further comprising a manipulator at anair outlet end of the housing, wherein the manipulator is operativelycoupled to the set of vanes to move the set of vanes.
 16. An air vent asdefined in claim 1, further comprising a manipulator at an air outletend of the housing, wherein the manipulator is operatively coupled tothe first vane and to the set of vanes to move the first vane and theset of vanes to thereby vertically and horizontally change the perceivedair discharge direction with the same manipulator.